Our young code-breaker

LIFE has been a bit of a blur for Albion Park Public School’s Dylan Lucas over the past few months, but the 12-year-old reckons it has all been worth it.

The versatile Lucas has spent that time racing all over Australia playing rugby league and rugby union, but can now claim the unique honour of being a dual NSW PSSA representative after being selected in two state sides in the one year.

“It has been a bit of a whirlwind, particularly over the last month, but it is all worth it,” he said.

During a three-week period, he represented NSW in rugby league at the nationals in Mackay, flew back to Sydney and represented the winning South Coast in the State Touch championships in Gosford (playing 15 games of touch over three days), before heading to Armidale for the final selection trials for the NSW rugby team.

On top of that he had enough energy to captain his beloved Albion Park-Oak Flats under-12 rugby league team to their third successive undefeated season in South Coast Junior League with a win over Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs at Mollymook last Saturday week.

“I think he actually had one day at school in three weeks, but I spoke to the principal and he said his grades were okay – so all’s good I suppose,” his father Aaron said.

Dylan heads off to Melbourne soon for the rugby nationals, but not before a couple of trials, including one against Kings School at Parramatta.

He is hoping for a better result in the rugby nationals after NSW finished fifth overall in the league at Mackay where he alternated between hooker and five-eighth. He will play mainly wing in the union squad.

“I really don’t mind where I play, as long as I am in the side,” Dylan said.

The young player handled the burning question – does he prefer league or union – with maturity beyond his years.

“I think I would have to say league, but it’s probably natural as I have played a lot more league than union.”